History

Young Arabut was born in Burlington, VT, June 21, 1818.  He was left an orphan at the age of 12 and was reared on a farm and obtained his education in the common schools of the day.

When he was 20 years old he moved to Lyons, MI, where he was employed as a mail carrier, carrying mail on horseback from Grand Rapids to Livingston Centre.  Eighteen months later he moved to Chicago, where he got a job taking goods to Green Bay, WI in exchange for furs.

After learning the ropes he began his own business of transporting and selling goods along the way between Chicago, and Green Bay, passing through Madison, WI.  He was very successful in this venture and many stories relate how settlers along his route would wait for “Lud” and his wagon.

In 1846 Arabut married Caroline Sanderson and settled in Monroe, opening the first General Merchandise store.

Ludlow was very influential in Monroe.  He was also a banker who had an understanding of the economic significance of area cheese-making that combined with action and leadership; put Monroe on the path to cheese-making history.  He was very well aware of the importance of cheese to the Green County economy.

In 1873, Monroe’s economy was depressed and to top it off, some Monrovians were making a pretty big stink about the wafting wagon-loads of Limburger cheese that were being regularly hauled through the streets on their way to the railroad for shipment elsewhere.  In the face of a citizen revolt, Ludlow (together with J. Regez and J. Karlen) staged a public display that would shape Monroe’s connection with Limburger to the present day.

It was Ludlow’s idea to gather local cheese-producing farmers together on a particular day at his farm and then parade wagon-loads of Limburger into the city to the Courthouse square.  Of course, the aroma and the commotion of all that Limburger attracted a crowd of curious onlookers and Ludlow took the opportunity to make a speech in which he declared that limburger was here to stay and that it would make Green County famous.  He told them that this was the smell of money and the key to economic prosperity for the entire county and region.  The grumbling quickly stopped and the cheese wheels continued to roll.

This move got through to folks and effectively put an end to the Limburger revolt in Monroe, paving the way for a rich tradition of Limburger cheese-making that is alive and well in Green County today.  Ludlow’s leadership in that parade and his speech have been sited as evidence to his being attributed some of the founder status of Cheese Days that began 41 years later in 1914.

As for Limburger Cheese, Monroe is the only place in North America where it is produced.  Ludlow’s defense of the stinky cheese was an important step in bringing a lasting industry to Monroe and Green County and serves as an excellent example of the value of vision and leadership.

Other contributions made by Ludlow include serving as treasurer, superintendent, and eventually president of the original Green County Agricultural Society which was responsible for, among other things, the creations of the Green County Fair.  Ludlow sold the first plot of land for the fairgrounds to the society for $400.  Ludlow was also the instrumental partner in the formation of the first bank in Monroe.